The West Midlands Labour Party mayoral selection of 2016 was the process by which the Labour Party selected its candidate for Mayor of the West Midlands, to stand in the mayoral election on 4 May 2017.
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The selection took place amid the backdrop of the 2016 Labour Leadership election, with Simon being a close friend and ally of Tom Watson, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, who had been calling for incumbent Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn to step down. Steve Bedser pitched to Corbyn supporters, expressing his support for Corbyn, whilst simultaneously stating that Corbyn needed to improve his performance.[1] On 10 August 2016, Simon was announced as the winning candidate.
Candidates
edit| Name | Born | Current/previous positions | Announced candidacy | Campaign website (Slogan) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Siôn Simon |
23 December 1968 (age 55) |
Member of the European Parliament |
May 2016[2][3][4] | sion-simon.com #Team Siôn (Uniting the West Midlands) |
Steve Bedser |
August 1965 (age 59) |
Businessman Birmingham Council Cabinet member for Health and Well Being |
June 2016[7] |
Not selected
edit- Najma Hafeez, management consultant, former Birmingham City Councillor and former Chairwoman of City Hospital[8][9]
- Milkinder Jaspal, Wolverhampton City Councillor[9]
- Mary Simons-Jones, freelance book-seller[9]
Declined
edit- Ian Austin, MP for Dudley North since 2005, and former Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister under Gordon Brown.[2]
- Liam Byrne, MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill, and former Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Gordon Brown.[2]
- Darren Cooper, former leader of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, was perceived as a potential candidate before his sudden death in March 2016.[2]
- Gisela Stuart, MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, Chair of Vote Leave and former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health.[2]
Membership ballot
editThe results of the selection were announced on 10 August 2016. A total of 3,817 valid votes were cast.[10]
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siôn Simon | 2,718 | 71.21% | |
| Steve Bedser | 1,099 | 28.79% | |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Elkes, Neil (13 July 2016). "Corbyn supporters targeted by Birmingham Labour mayor hopeful". BirminghamLive.
- ^ a b c d e Walker, Jonathan (19 May 2016). "Battle to be Greater Birmingham Mayor is already becoming brutal".
- ^ Walker, Jonathan (6 June 2016). "The first official candidate for West Midland mayor is launching their campaign". BirminghamLive.
- ^ "Sion Simon bids to be Mayor of West Midlands". tyburnmail.com. 6 June 2016. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016.
- ^ Skuzbee, David. "Who'll be Labour's candidate for West Midlands Metro Mayor?". LabourList.
- ^ Elkes, Neil (23 May 2014). "Birmingham City Council elections: Simon Jevon unseats Labour cabinet member Steve Bedser in Kings Norton". BirminghamLive.
- ^ "Labour picks two candidates for West Midlands Mayor contest". Halesowen News. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ Neil Elkes (13 June 2016). "Najma Hafeez: Brum's first Muslim woman councillor aiming to be West Midlands mayor". The Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ a b c Neil Elkes (29 June 2016). "Euro-MP and ex-council social services chief to battle it out to be Labour mayor candidate". The Birmingham Post. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ Elkes, Neil (7 February 2017). "Sion Simon is Labour's West Midlands Mayor candidate". BirminghamLive.